The waiting game about Iran continues... 'Control what you can control': Part 2... The sweetness of stink bids... Be that guy... Marc Chaikin goes live tonight... Don't miss it... Feedback on our new Mosaic Trader advisory...
The latest on Iran...
War continues to rage. But now, the U.S. has reportedly sent some semblance of Iranian leadership a 15-point peace plan, delivered by intermediaries from Pakistan.
Good luck with that one, it seems... Iranian state television is saying a ceasefire isn't a possibility.
Still, Iran's representatives at the United Nations stated late yesterday that "non-hostile vessels" could safely move through the Strait of Hormuz "in coordination with the competent Iranian authorities."
Nobody has said yet who these competent people are, but the market took Iran's UN notice optimistically. Oil prices moved about 2% lower today, and stocks staged another relief bounce.
It's unclear if much will change on the ground. A half dozen or fewer tankers, thought to be "friendly," have transited the strait every day for nearly a month. The pace would normally be well north of 100 per day, and transit capacity won't ramp up overnight even if shippers feel safe again.
Plus, consider this fairly large detail...
Thousands of additional U.S. troops are closer to the Persian Gulf than they were just a few weeks ago. They're arriving by sea, and reportedly soon enough by air as well.
We're thinking back to our February 19 issue, after President Donald Trump first signaled military activity could ramp up against Iran within 10 days (which indeed happened). At that time, we wrote:
This could be another way for the U.S. to apply negotiating pressure on Iran, or it could be a signal of the U.S. going to war with Iran, or both.
The same applies again.
Despite the mainstream media saying that the White House hasn't given reasons for attacking Iran, Trump has repeatedly stated his goals (whether you agree with them or not). And one is to ensure that Iran won't have any nuclear-weapon capability.
The country presumably still has that as of now, with enough enriched uranium hidden somewhere to reportedly make 11 bombs, according to the White House. So place your bets on what happens next.
As for what the latest news means for the market...
Stansberry Investor Hour guest Jim Carroll shared valuable analysis this morning in his free Vixology newsletter. It's named after the CBOE Volatility Index ("VIX"), considered the market's fear gauge.
Today, Jim noted that his indicators are all in "deep bear territory." As he wrote...
This remains one of those time periods when sticking your neck out (adding risk to your portfolio) makes sense only if you have checked your risk tolerance and have a game plan that includes what to do if things get even worse.
And Jim added...
Markets have the potential for one or more violent moves in either direction. Investors need to be prepared for both possibilities even if that means buttressing the conviction to focus on the long term. The fog of war can make it difficult to see the horizon.
You can read Jim's full update here.
So with this in mind, here's another way to prepare for "if things get even worse"...
'Control what you can control' – Part 2...
Yesterday, we wrote about how to handle a market environment like this, where volatility is the defining feature. One of those ways is to strategically take profits.
I wrote about how and why it might make sense to sell a winner, like our Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig did earlier this month in Retirement Millionaire. He booked a 107% gain in four months on America's leading aluminum producer.
Today, I want to discuss another way to harness control in the current market... by buying when it's the right time.
It's a psychological trick that will help you ultimately survive and profit from a market correction when it seems "everyone else" is scared (kind of like today).
You decide what size of dip you're willing to buy, and commit in advance to buying it.
Some people call them "stink bids." Doc likes the term "fishhook trades."
You could also say "set it and forget it."
Here's what to do...
1. Pick one (or more) of your favorite stocks.
Maybe it's a stock like Microsoft (MSFT) or Hershey (HSY). These are longtime Stansberry Research favorites. And they're two of the original stocks in the Stansberry's Forever Portfolio that our founder Porter Stansberry debuted near the market's COVID-19 bottom in March 2020.
Or maybe it's another stock that one of our editors has recommended in the past but has been stubbornly above its buy-up-to price.
2. Once you've identified the stock(s), come up with a ridiculously lower price from where it trades today – like 20% or 30% below current levels.
This is the "stink" in "stink bid." As an example, with Hershey, which trades around $215 today, your price might be $170 (about 20% lower) or even less.
3. Once you've picked a stock and this price, go to your brokerage account and create a good 'til canceled ("GTC") buy limit order on the stock. Use your predetermined, really low price at which you'd be happy to buy shares.
The buy "limit" order means your brokerage won't execute the trade until the stock hits the price that you chose, and "good 'til canceled" is exactly what it sounds like. The instructions will remain in place until you cancel them. (One important note: Make sure you have enough cash in your account to cover the total cost.)
4. Move on with your life. Forget about what happens next with the war in Iran or whatever else.
If the price you entered on this stock is ever hit, one day your broker will let you know that you scored shares of Hershey or whatever company you wanted at a huge discount from today's price.
You'll have taken advantage of a major market sell-off, without needing to time it exactly or wonder whether the market is headed lower.
On the day your stink bid is triggered, it's likely that everyone else will be panicking about stocks and their portfolios.
Meanwhile, you'll automatically be following Warren Buffett's advice about being "greedy when others are fearful." If you've put in this limit order on a high-quality, cash-gushing business that sells in-demand products or services, your greed should pay off in the long run.
The market tends to reward these businesses over time.
This isn't an original idea...
A lot of experienced investors use limit orders like these in various ways, and they're a safer way to invest than market orders.
Options traders use limit orders all the time. Long-term investors can use them as well to manage emotions and buy at the worst of times, or simply to buy at the right price, as our editors always recommend.
Here's Dan Ferris, writing about limit orders in a February 2023 Digest...
Remember, a market order is when you just say, "Buy it right now at any price." Most experienced investors use limit orders, which direct their brokers to not buy for more than a certain price. That's a much safer way to invest.
Josh Brown, the co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management and a CNBC contributor, spoke at our annual Stansberry Research conference last October. In his 2024 book, You Weren't Supposed to See That, he discussed the power of "absolutely absurd GTC buy limit orders." As Josh wrote...
This is my very best trick for surviving corrections. [I did it] during the Chinese yuan panic of August 2015 (remember that? Of course you don't). And [again] during the Brexit/Trump panic of summer 2016...
I start subconsciously rooting for sell-offs to get hit on my buy limits for the best stocks in the market. And sometimes I actually get them! I bought Starbucks in the 60's in the spring of 2020. It subsequently ran to 120. I didn't know it would ever get down to the 60's. I just knew that if it did I wanted to own it there. And then one morning I got filled. Boom!
Even if you don't root for the market to go lower, you'll at least be more immune to the panic that's going on in a market where quality stocks are down 20%. As Josh also wrote...
It feels a bit like having a bet on against your favorite football team. Your heart wants them to win but your mind wants the money should they lose. It's exciting. It even feels a little bit dirty. But getting into this mindset completely distracts you from the panic going on all around.
And you may even get one or two of them! Imagine telling that story – "You know who nailed the bottom on Facebook? Me. This guy!"
So again, control what you can control. You can't keep the market from going down. But you can use limit orders to put in "stink bids" and forget about them. Then you've bolstered your portfolio with great stocks at great prices.
Last call: Marc Chaikin's new presentation is tonight...
At 8 p.m. Eastern time tonight, Chaikin Analytics founder and 50-plus-year investing veteran Marc Chaikin is debuting a new presentation that you won't want to miss.
Many of you are likely familiar with Marc... He founded our corporate affiliate in the aftermath of the great financial crisis, intent on using his decades of Wall Street experience to help everyday investors.
In recent years, Marc has also predicted the 2020 crash... the 2022 bear market... and the 2023 "run on the banks"... And he showed his subscribers how to be positioned in the right sectors to deliver returns and avoid painful losses.
Now, he's saying the market is fast approaching a "bear market window" that could usher in the biggest potential losses in years.
Tonight, Marc is going to share the details on what he sees coming with the public for the first time... You'll hear about his No. 1 move to make that will not only protect your wealth but also potentially lock in double-digit gains over the next 90 days.
And, in the first five minutes of tomorrow night's briefing, he'll tell you the exact date you should move your money to stay ahead of what's coming. Plus, you'll also have the chance to hear two free recommendations you can act on immediately.
Click here and register for the event now and make sure you don't miss anything.
New 52-week highs (as of 3/24/26): Alpha Architect 1-3 Month Box Fund (BOXX), Chord Energy (CHRD), Ciena (CIEN), Coterra Energy (CTRA), Chevron (CVX), Diversified Energy (DEC), EOG Resources (EOG), Enterprise Products Partners (EPD), EQT (EQT), GE Vernova (GEV), Helmerich & Payne (HP), Lumentum (LITE), Cheniere Energy (LNG), Magnolia Oil & Gas (MGY), Marathon Petroleum (MPC), Matador Resources (MTDR), New York Times (NYT), Plains All American Pipeline (PAA), Tenaris (TS), Valaris (VAL), State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE), and ExxonMobil (XOM).
In today's mailbag, we see notes of appreciation coming in for Stansberry Research analyst Josh Baylin's new research advisory, Mosaic Trader, which is exclusively available right now to Stansberry Alliance members.
As our Director of Research Matt Weinschenk wrote in an e-mail to Alliance members on Monday, announcing the publication...
Every year, hedge funds spend billions of dollars on something called "alternative data." They analyze satellite imagery, credit-card transactions, shipping volumes, web traffic, app downloads, and social sentiment... anything that might reveal what's happening before the official numbers are released.
In short, they pay for an early-warning system. And they use it to stay ahead of everyone else.
Today, we're giving you, as an Alliance partner, the first look at our own early-warning system: Josh Baylin.
Josh has spent more than two decades operating at the intersection of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. He worked at Bloomberg, traded under Steve Cohen at SAC Capital, managed money at Legg Mason, and built technology companies from the ground up.
Throughout his career, he focused on one question: Where is the smart money moving before the crowd catches on?
To find an answer, Josh built the "Shadow Data Indicator," and it's at the heart of his new publication. Here's what our readers are saying so far...
"Very cool. Really looking forward to this new project..." – Stansberry Alliance member Mark F.
"Josh, I like the concept and your approach. I am very interested in this offering..." – Stansberry Alliance member Ken L.
"Sounds like a fabulous concept! Looking forward to using it. Thanks for adding more value to my lifetime subscription." – Stansberry Alliance member Tim K.
Alliance members, if you haven't seen it yet, you can learn more about this offering and check out Josh's first Mosaic Trader issue here. And let us know what you think. Josh would love to hear your thoughts and questions. As always, send them to feedback@stansberryresearch.com.
All the best,
Corey McLaughlin
Baltimore, Maryland
March 25, 2026
